LEXINGTON, Ky. --- Four Tusculum College student-athletes have been named to the 2012 American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division II All-Southeast Region Team.
TC's Caitlyn Dean and Kassie Voelker comprised two of the 14-player All-Region First Team, while teammates Alyssa Raterman and Ashley Sarmiento garnered honorable mention recognition.
The quartet has helped guide the Pioneers to a 22-7 overall record and the program's fourth consecutive berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Tusculum also posted a 14-4 conference worksheet to finish second in the league and advanced to the championship match of the Food Lion SAC Tournament for a second time in the last three years.
Dean, a junior libero/defensive specialist from Fort Wayne, Ind, (Northrop HS) earns AVCA All-Region honors for a third straight season, becoming the first three-time All-Region honoree since the Pioneers joined the NCAA II ranks in 1998.
The two-time All-America First Team selection leads all NCAA divisions in digs, averaging 7.80 per set, which is currently on pace to be a new NCAA Division II record (Kristen Hager, West Virginia State, 7.23 in 2008). Her 842 total digs this year are just three off her NCAA II-record mark of 845 posted in her 2010 rookie campaign.
Dean's 2,371 career digs are already a school record, second most in South Atlantic Conference history and 22nd in the NCAA II record book. Her 7.12 career digs per set average is currently the best average of any player in D-II history, just ahead of Western Washington's Courtney Schneider, who averaged 7.00 digs per set from 2004-07.
The three-time All-SAC First Team honoree has accounted for 70 assists and 34 service aces (7th in SAC), and has also been named to the Capital One Academic All-District 3 Volleyball Team this fall.
Voelker, a junior middle blocker from Morristown, Tenn. marks her first time on the AVCA All-Region team. The 2012 All-SAC First Team selection is currently sixth in the league with her .284 hitting percentage, while leading the team in blocking with 0.70 bps (9th in SAC). The Morristown West High School graduate is averaging 2.37 kills and 0.93 digs per set, while accounting for 21 service aces, which are third on the team.
Raterman, a senior middle blocker from Urbana, Ohio, returns to the All-Region Team, after earning honorable mention accolades in 2010. Raterman leads the Pioneers with her .292 hitting percentage, which is fifth in the conference. The Urbana High School product is also 13th in the SAC with her 0.62 blocks per set, to go along with her 2.16 kills per set average.
The two-time All-SAC honoree is second in Tusculum history with her .303 career hitting percentage in her 107 matches and 383 sets played.
Sarmiento, a junior setter from Dayton, Ohio, earns her second All-Region honor in the last three years. The Centerville High School alum leads the conference averaging 9.59 assists per set, which is 68th in the nation. Sarmiento is also 14th in the conference in digs per set (3.30 dps) and has tallied 12 service aces, 38 blocks and 67 kills this season.
Sarmiento was honored earlier this month with the SAC Scholar Athlete of the Year Award, which recognizes athletic achievement, academic success, community service and leadership. She becomes the third player in program history to earn this prestigious honor.
In 2010, Sarmiento was named SAC and Southeast Region Freshman of the Year and was selected to the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America® Second Team. She is also two-time Capital One Academic All-District selection, including this season. Her 3,364 career assists are the second most in school history.
Tusculum's four total honorees were tied for most in the region along with Flagler and Armstrong.
The Pioneers will be the No. 4 seed in this week's NCAA II Southeast Regional, held in Savannah, Ga. TC will face fifth-seeded Lincoln Memorial in a quarterfinal contest on Thursday beginning at 5 p.m.
- TC -
2012 AVCA/NCAA Division II All-Southeast Region Team
Name School Pos Yr
Dianna Craine Flagler OH Sr
Caitlyn Dean Tusculum L Jr
Blaire Fowler Lincoln Memorial MH Sr
Casey Gnann Flagler L Sr
Anna Hilton Wingate RS Jr
Amanda Jones Armstrong OH Sr
Kassie Voelker Tusculum MH
Jr
Lexi Potter Wingate MH So
Jessica Santaniello Armstrong OH Jr
Ashley Seal Armstrong S/RS Sr
Shelly Stumpff Wingate OH Fr
Emilee Taylor Flagler OH Jr
Kaitlyn Whitmer Catawba OH Sr
Brittany Wolf Armstrong MH Sr
AVCA Southeast Region Freshman of the Year: Shelly Stumpff, Wingate, OH
Honorable Mention: Allison Beavers (Lincoln Memorial, S/RS), Alyssa Raterman (Tusculum, MH), Ashley Sarmiento (Tusculum, S), Kay Schellenberg (Belmont Abbey, S), Rachel Stacy (Flagler, MH), Jenny Young (Catawba, L)
